Simon Jordan has labelled Dan Ashworth as ‘smug’ amid rumours Newcastle United could bring him in as director of football, as he told talkSPORT.
Despite Jordan’s uncertainties over Ashworth, he thinks it would be a ‘sensible’ appointment by Newcastle.
Ashworth is currently in the boardroom at Brighton, but the club are seemingly happy for him to talk to the Magpies about making a switchover, according to The Athletic.
Newcastle are trying to put the pieces in place to their rather large, expensive and broken jigsaw – and Ashworth has all the experience to help them get off the deck.
During his time as owner of Crystal Palace, Jordan would have sat with and opposite a number of high-profile individuals in suits, as he issued his thoughts on Ashworth.
“Well, I suppose given the amount of football knowledge in Newcastle’s boardroom, they can probably fit a thimble right now,” said Jordan.
“Anybody going in their that has football knowledge would help them along the way. Dan Ashworth? I don’t know.
“I have mixed feelings about them. I think they are a smug group of little individuals that work within the FA that caught a wave and they have a reputation on the back of it. Does that mean he’s not capable of doing a job? No, of course, it doesn’t
“The fact that Brighton are prepared to let Newcastle just wade in and have a conversation with him doesn’t tell you that they are that bothered about it. Maybe he sees this as an opportunity for himself.
“Didn’t he go to West Brom? How did that work out? The idea of him going to Newcastle is a sensible appointment because he clearly knows the football landscape.”
Newcastle are pretty desperate to get footballing people into the club because they are lacking it since Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) replaced Mike Ashley.
Whilst off-field matters needed to be sorted out, at the end of the day, it’s all about what they do on the field of play.
And it’s not looking great for Eddie Howe, who will use the January transfer market as a lifeline to get the club out of their mess.
Only one win all season is just stating the obvious, but it’s now Howe’s fault because the previous regime has left the club in a complete mess.
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